Safety device for aviators



J. R. NAVARRE.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AVIATORS.

APPucATloN FILED 1:58.21. 1919.

'1 ,349,782. Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

3 SHEETS-v-SHEET 1.x

, J. R. NAVARRE.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AVIATORS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1919.

Patented Aug. 17,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. R. NAVARRE.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AVIATORS,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1919.

Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

3 SHEETS*SHEET 3.

4 harness and connecting JOSEPH R. NAVARRE, OFvLAKESIDE, WASHINGTON.

SAFETY DEVICE FOB. AVIATQRS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

Application'led February 21, 1919. Serial No. 278,542.V

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. NAVARRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lakeside, county of Chelan, and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Aviators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety devices` for aviators and particularly to improvements in life-saving apparatus in the nature of a parachute to be used in case of accident. l

The object of my invention is to rovide a device of the character mentions which may be readily attached to the aviator and which may be quickly thrown into operation in case of accident. A further object of my invention is to provide a deviceas mentioned which shall be in no way connected to the aeroplane and which shall be of such construction and arrangement that it will not interfere with the aviator leaving the machine. A further object of my invention is to provide a device as mentioned which, when in inoperative position, will serve as additional protection for the head of the aviator. @ther objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists generally in a parachute adapted to be foldedv into small space'upon the top of the head, and means for attaching the same to the body. My invention further consists in a device as mentioned in which the attaching means comprises a body straps. MyV invention further consists in a device as mentioned in which the connecting straps are detachably connected Ato the hood of the aviator so as to prevent the same from normally 'hanging loose. My invention further consists ina safety device of the class mentioned comprising a parachute adapted to be folded into small compass, and means for attaching the same to the aviator together with means normally tending to extend the parachute into operative osition and readily releasable means for olding the latter normally out of operation. My

"invention further consists in a device as mentioned comprisin a helmet, a parachute attached to sai helmet and adapted to be folded thereon, a bodyT harness and a connection between the bo y harness and the 4vhelmet. My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of iptarts all as will be fully described hereina er and out in the claims. Y

My invention will be more readily understood by a reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which- -Figure 'l is a perspective view of the device in folded or inoperative position, illustratingthe same in conjunction with the particularly pointed hood and adjacent parts of the -aviatorsI l costume.

Fig. 2 1s a vertical transverse section of the device exclusive of the harness or attaching means and illustrated upon an enlarged scale.

F1g. 3 is an elevation of the device in operative position.

Fig. 4 is a-detail perspective view of the means for extending the parachute.

Fig. 5 1s a detail sectional view on the line :1J- of Fig. 4:.

Fig.' 6 is a detail perspective view of a ortion of the locking device.

iig. 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating one manner of connecting the parachute and the harness to the helmet,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a slightly modified form of connecting means. i

Fig. 9 shows a modified arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates broadly the hood and adjacent ortions of the costume of an aviator w ich is shown conventionall only, as the form of this portion of the evice has nothing to do with my invention except in so far as it is provided with means for attaching certain straps thereto as will be more fully described hereinafter. 2 indicatesthe helmet which .is preferably formed of aluminum on account of both strength and light weight, and comprises a comparatively low crown 3 and preferably straight brim 4. The crown is lined with a comparatively thick layer 5 of felt which will absorb in a lgreat measure any shock received upon the elmet.

Secured to the helmet 2 by a plurality of cords 6 is a parachute 7, preferably made of thin strong silk fabric. -The parachute is of ample' size when expanded to serve the normal urpose of aA parachute, and is provided'a jacent its periphery with an annular casing 8 in which is arranged a fiexible spring band 9. IThe' spring band 9 is adapted to be coiled within the casing, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, to fit .upon the brim 4 o'f the helmet, and is provided with suitable means lfor holdin the same in coiled position until release by the aviator when it is desired to throw the parachute into operation. The locking means comprises an aperture 10 adjacent one end of the band and an eye or loop 11 formed on the band substantially one convolution of the spring from its end when in coiled position to extend through said aperture, as shown clearly in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. After the coiled device is placed in position on the brim a locking pin 12 is egitended vertically through an aperture 14 in the brim 4, and the eye 11.

To fold the parachute upon the helmet, the spring 9 is lirst coiled into the position shown in Fig. 4 with the e e 11 extending, through the aperture 10. he cords 6 are then laid upon the brim 4 of the helmet and the periphery ofthe parachute With the inclosed spring 9 resting upon the brim where it is held in position by a plurality of upwardly projecting spring tongues 15, the resiliency of these springs being but suiiicient to holdthejdevice in position While the spring 9 is locked; and then the pin 12` ,is projected through the aperture 14 and eye 11. Thenthe arachute` per se is laid inv the folds upon t e crown' of the helmet. See Fig. 2.

To hold the folded parachute upon the crown of the helmet and to protect the same from the weather, a waterproof cover 16 lis provided, preferably of rubber and equipped lwith a coiled spring expanding kdevice 17 similar to the spring 9, but not necessarily so long, as the sole purpose of this spring is to `hold the device in position when folded and to free the device of the cover when released.` This is arranged in a hem or casing 18 on the edge of the cover 16 and has the same aperture and eye fas? tening 10 and 11 as has the spring 9. This device is also held in position by the spring tongues 15.

To secure the device to the aviator, a body harness is provided comprising a pair of shoulder straps 2() adapted to extend -under the'arms, a back strap 21, and a breast strap 22 provided with a buckle 23 for fastening the. same in position. Se-

cured to the shoulder straps 2O are connecting straps 24, the upper ends lof which are attached to the brim 4 of the helmet by being looped through apertures 25 therein. If desired, a reinforcing plate 26 may be provided extending through a strap andv resting upon the brim 4. The straps 24 are equipped with parts of glove fasteners 27, the coperating parts thereof 28 being arranged upon the sides, neck and shoulder of the helmet 1, as indicated in Fi 3. These fasteners serve as means 'to hol the straps 24 so as to avoid the same hanging loose `then secured in position by means of the glove fasteners 27, 28. Should an accident occur necessitating the aviator 4leaving the machine, he may throwfthe device into operation by merely pulling the locking pin 14. This releases both the spring 17 of the cover 16 and the spring 9 of the parachute. The first-mentioned spring by expanding disengages itself from the spring tongues 14 and throws the cover free 'from the parachute. The spring 9 frees the device from the spring tongues 15 and fully expands the periphery of the parachute so that the same will quickly fill with air. The weight of the body disconnects the fasteners 27 and 28 and allows the straps 24 to straighten, thereby raising the helmet a few inches from the head, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

lt is obvious that with a device of the character mentioned the aviator may quickly leave the machine and not be encumbered with any bulky safety device attached to or stored within the lane. It is also obvious that the device w en folded into inoperative position is of small size, entirely out of the way of the operator, and serves as additional protection for the head.

l claim l. A safety device for aviators comprising a helmet, a parachute, a coiled spring in the periphery thereof, said s ring having an aperture adjacent one en thereof, an eye on said spring adapted to extend through said aperture to hold the spring in coiled position, a releasing pin extending through said ye, substantia ly as described.

2. device as set forth in claim 1, in combination with a casing adapted to hold said parachute in folded position upon said helmet, substantially as described.

3. A device-as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by 'a releasing spring withinI for attaching the parachuteto the aviator, substantially as described.

6. A safetydevice for aviators comprising a parachute, means for holding the same in folded position upon the head, a body harness, straps interposed between said harness and said parachute, a hood, and detachable cooperating fasteners on said straps and said hood, substantially as described.

7 A safety device for aviators comprising a helmet consisting of a crown and brim, a

parachute adapted to be folded upon said helmet, cords connecting said parachute and said helmet, an expansble coiled spring arranged adjacent the periphery-of said para- 15 chute', manually operable means locking the same in coiled position, resilient means on the helmet to the aviator, substantially as 2 described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses. Ri

JOSEPH R. NAVARRE. Witnesses: HORACE B. VARNEY, C. G. Rmo'r. 

